Three Occupy Oakland protestors arrested for robbery and hate crime

They were caught because one of their friends recorded the whole assault on his cameraphone.Oakland Tribune:

Three Occupy Oakland protesters suspected of stealing an Oakland woman's wallet and making offensive remarks about her perceived sexuality were charged Friday with robbery and committing a hate crime, both felonies, authorities said.

Michael Davis, 32, Nneka Crawford, 23, and Randolph Wilkins, 24, all of Oakland, were charged with the felonies by Assistant District Attorney Paul Hora. All remain jailed at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Bail for Crawford and Wilkins is $105,000 and Davis is being held on $100,000 bail.

Other possible suspects are being sought by police, said Sgt. Randy Wingate, the lead investigator.

Among the evidence against the three, besides the 42-year-old victim identifying them, is a video of the confrontation taken by a fellow Occupy Oakland protester.

"In the department we have zero tolerance for hate crimes," Wingate said.

[...]

Wingate said a handful of protesters quickly surrounded her and prevented from leaving the area. Her wallet was taken from her purse, and protesters yanked a Barack Obama pin from her clothing, police said.

Wingate said she was also verbally abused, including making derogatory remarks about her perceived sexuality. A protester punched the woman, and she was bruised and scratched in the altercation. Hora charged the three with a felony robbery and a felony hate crime because the woman was injured in addition to being verbally insulted.

One of the protesters shot a video of the altercation, which police viewed on the Internet. It has since been removed.

Such a noble movement to be besmirched by ignoble people. Actually, given the rampant crime in the Occupy encampments, it is little wonder that the thuggishness would manifest itself outside the perimeter. And the victim wasn't even disagreeing with their beliefs! She was questioning their tactics.

In another month or two, the weather will begin to warm. At that point we'll see how this media-created "movement" fares as they have promised to return and re-ccupy sites they were kicked out of last fall.

They were caught because one of their friends recorded the whole assault on his cameraphone.

Three Occupy Oakland protesters suspected of stealing an Oakland woman's wallet and making offensive remarks about her perceived sexuality were charged Friday with robbery and committing a hate crime, both felonies, authorities said.

Michael Davis, 32, Nneka Crawford, 23, and Randolph Wilkins, 24, all of Oakland, were charged with the felonies by Assistant District Attorney Paul Hora. All remain jailed at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Bail for Crawford and Wilkins is $105,000 and Davis is being held on $100,000 bail.

Other possible suspects are being sought by police, said Sgt. Randy Wingate, the lead investigator.

Among the evidence against the three, besides the 42-year-old victim identifying them, is a video of the confrontation taken by a fellow Occupy Oakland protester.

"In the department we have zero tolerance for hate crimes," Wingate said.

[...]

Wingate said a handful of protesters quickly surrounded her and prevented from leaving the area. Her wallet was taken from her purse, and protesters yanked a Barack Obama pin from her clothing, police said.

Wingate said she was also verbally abused, including making derogatory remarks about her perceived sexuality. A protester punched the woman, and she was bruised and scratched in the altercation. Hora charged the three with a felony robbery and a felony hate crime because the woman was injured in addition to being verbally insulted.

One of the protesters shot a video of the altercation, which police viewed on the Internet. It has since been removed.

Such a noble movement to be besmirched by ignoble people. Actually, given the rampant crime in the Occupy encampments, it is little wonder that the thuggishness would manifest itself outside the perimeter. And the victim wasn't even disagreeing with their beliefs! She was questioning their tactics.

In another month or two, the weather will begin to warm. At that point we'll see how this media-created "movement" fares as they have promised to return and re-ccupy sites they were kicked out of last fall.